


In Which It Could Always Be Worse

by Earthsbestdefender, ElphieRix



Series: Without Hurt the Heart is Hollow [2]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies)
Genre: Angst, Crime AU, Drabbles and Ficlets, F/M, Fluff, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-03
Updated: 2019-10-03
Packaged: 2020-11-23 00:13:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20882978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Earthsbestdefender/pseuds/Earthsbestdefender, https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElphieRix/pseuds/ElphieRix
Summary: Life isn’t easy for Tony Stark. Unfortunately, it could always be worse.***A collection of alternate scenes, deleted scenes, and the occasional au set in the world of Without Hurt The Heart Is Hollow.





	In Which It Could Always Be Worse

**Author's Note:**

> to start us off, here’s a very short alternate (sadder) version of the scene where pepper tells tony she’s a cop. it’s NOT canon to the fic

“I knew Harold Hogan. He was my mentor on the force, like my Mom was his. We never knew how his cover got blown,” says Pepper impulsively.

“Why the _fuck_ would you tell me that?” says Tony, slamming the palm of one hand onto the top of the steering wheel. 

Pepper draws back slightly, shocked by his vehemence. “I...” she starts, but trails off.

Tony shoots a quick look at her before returning his attention to the road. His face is twisted with anger but his eyes are pleading.

“Goddamnit, why would you trust me with that?” he says lowly. “Why would you put yourself in that kind of danger?”

He makes a very good point. Pepper doesn’t know why she told him, and she especially doesn’t know why she still doesn’t regret it.

“I miss him,” she says simply.

Tony grips the wheel so tightly his knuckles go white. There’s no wrath in him anymore, just defeat. Pepper thinks about the fierceness of Harold’s loyalty, the way it was hard bought and unwavering. He’s been dead for years but she still trusts him, and he trusted Tony.

“It’s my fault.” Tony’s voice is cold and hard and utterly unconvincing. Pepper has never believed an attempt as conveying apathy less, and she wonders at how quickly she’s learnt to read him. “I got him killed and I’m gonna get you killed too. I won’t tell anyone but when we get back I’m asking Vanko to keep us apart.”

It’s for the best. Pepper knows it’s for the best. It makes her feel cold inside, like her blood is slowly turning to ice, but it’s for the best.

**Author's Note:**

> for the majority of this series earthsbestdefender has been doing the entirety of the heavy lifting and my role has just been saying “you should totally kill that character” (and you’ll just have to see how successful i was with that mwahahahahahaahaaaha). this collection of drabbles and ficlets is my 12% of the credit. some will be canon to the fic, some won’t. some will be very short, some will be longer. it’s gonna be fun
> 
> strap the fuck in troublemakers


End file.
